Radiant floor heating systems are a great way to be more environmentally conscious, and save money at the same time. Radiant heating provides a solution to keep warm through the winter, without burning through unnecessarily wasted resources. This is because radiant heat is a renewable energy source that is very effective, and that also requires very little electricity to work. Radiant heat flooring is also an effective way to heat your entire home, and cut down on the rising cost of heat throughout the winter months.
There are two options for radiant floor heating systems laid before you. Electric radiant heat flooring, and hydronic heat. Through electric radiant flooring, electrical coils are installed beneath your floorboards, to heat the floor from below using the radiant coils themselves. Because the heat never approaches a temperature high enough to ignite, there is no risk of fire despite the close proximity to flammable materials. The radiant coils use electricity to create energy that is converted to heat. That heat is then transferred to the floorboards, and then circulates to the objects throughout your house.
The average coil will use around 15 watts of electricity per square foot. That means on average, radiant heating will be less expensive than using a traditional furnace to heat your home. Also because radiant heat flooring systems do not use fuel of any type, they are a much more environmentally way to heat your home. The less fossil fuels we can use the better.
In hydronic radiant heat, a larger boiler is stored somewhere else in your house, and then tubes are installed beneath your floor which will carry the heated water throughout, thereby heating your floor. This method tends to save more electricity than installing electrical coils, and installation can also be cheaper and somewhat easier.
To go about preparing your home for a radiant floor heating system, first you should measure the rooms in which you’d like radiant heat to be installed. Having accurate measurements will help you figure out pricing. With a measurement you can figure out how many square feet each room is, and then how much heating coils will cost to cover the room, as well as what installation will run you. Any major store like Menards, Home Depot, or Lowes will have a wide variety of radiant heat products, as well as installation options.
Keep in mind which options are most important to you when shopping for radiant floor heating systems. Hydronic heat will use much less electricity, but the water in the tubes won’t heat your floor as well as electrical coils. Electrical radiant heat is much more effective, but usually consumes more electricity. With both you have to be careful so that the temperature does not get too high, otherwise you can damage the wooden floorboards. Although, most units come with automatic temperature gauges that will turn off the heat, if the temperature rises above a certain level. Overall radiant floor heating systems are a safe and effective way to heat your home, and save money in the process.